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A major talking point of England's top flight this campaign is the decline of goals scored in open-play scenarios and how teams are finding goals increasingly from set-pieces instead.

Comparing goal sources to the initial 11 matches last season, we see a drop of 39 scored in open-play and an increase of 26 from set-plays and penalties, leading to 13 fewer altogether.

Examining the broader view, efforts on goal clubs are making have seen an incredible drop of 370 in open-play than at this stage last season.

And despite the big increase in set-piece goals, we've actually seen a mere two extra attempts produced from these situations outside of penalties, showing the efficiency clubs are at finding ways to net from dead-ball chances.

Goal Statistics Show an Interesting Narrative

The 301 goals recorded in 110 matches so far works out at 2.74 scores per fixture, if maintained for the entire campaign might be the smallest for since 2020-21, back in 2020-21 (2.69 per game).

However, only 196 goals scored in open play averages out 1.78 per fixture and is heading to be the least for 16 years, from 16 years ago (1.76).

2009-10 additionally represents the unique EPL campaign to witness goals scored more often from non-penalty set-pieces than this campaign's frequency of 0.77 per game (0.79 per game).

What Clubs Account for This Change?

When it comes to goals scored from open-play, Wolverhampton Wanderers have seen the most significant drop, registering a mere four in their first 11 fixtures, 10 fewer than at this stage the previous campaign.

Outside of Wolves, England's top division's drop in open-play scoring is predominantly a London thing, with half of the city's seven teams netting five or more goals fewer from open play than the previous year.

Honestly, this is mainly because their scoring many goals at the beginning of last season instead of their genuine struggle to find the net in open-play the current term.

At the same time Man City have seen the biggest increase, with almost every one of the 23 they've scored this season originating in open-play.

Dead-Ball Dominance

Comparing newly promoted sides with the relegated sides that they superseded. Play-off champions the Black Cats have netted three extra goals in open play than the Saints managed in matchday 11 leading to the drop the previous campaign.

Regarding scoring from set-plays (excluding spot-kicks), the Gunners and the Blues have seen the most significant jump, with both sides making up for the five less scores that they've produced in open-play with the same number from dead-ball chances.

United have netted double the number scores from set-plays as they managed in the 11 games last season prior to their coach assumed control, while Sunderland once more are better at netting than the similar-colored team that went down.

Manchester City appear not to have received the trend about netting additional goals from set-pieces, since they've recorded three less than last season, as have Forest, although this could be because of the change in style they're working to install.

General Tendencies

Six clubs – the Gunners, Chelsea, Fulham, the Magpies, Spurs and West Ham – have been this season's leading trend-followers by scoring fewer scores from open-play and more from set-pieces, while City are the unique club to buck the trend so far by achieving the complete reverse.

It will be fascinating to observe if teams continue to place such emphasis on set-pieces as the season goes on or if they regain their overall inventiveness and commence converting additional scores in open-play as well.